


Adventures of Conor Sheary, Shadow's Bane

by hybryd0



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, M/M, slight bit of violence, someone gets stabbed but he lives
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-16
Updated: 2017-08-16
Packaged: 2018-12-15 23:50:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,689
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11816793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hybryd0/pseuds/hybryd0
Summary: Conor was perfectly happy being a hunter, then he had to go and save the life of Exalted King Sidney





	Adventures of Conor Sheary, Shadow's Bane

**Author's Note:**

> I've been going through a really tough event in my life and I just started writing. Next thing I know I've got almost 5k of this.

The Hall of Ascendance was filled to the brim with nobles of every hierarchy as the kingdom prepared to honor the ascendance of three squires to knighthood. Everything was bright and exuberant, the mood celebratory. The ascendance of three squires could only mean good things for a kingdom at war. All three would serve under the knight they apprenticed with and help to hold back the tide of darkness that was the Shadow.

Conor had never been to the royal city let alone stepped foot inside of such an exalted place. He felt so out of place and expected at any moment for the nobles around him to throw him out. It was only the fact that he wasn’t the only servant to have accompanied their Master to the ceremony that gave him any ease at all.

He shifted restlessly, uncomfortable in the stiff, newly tailored formal clothing his Master had reluctantly procured for him just for the ceremony. Typically, Master Quinn wouldn’t have spent that kind of silver bars on Conor at all, but it had become a requirement when Knight-Lord Cullen had chosen him to be one of the Guardsmen to accompany him to the ceremony. As Conor was his only servant, Master Quinn had chosen to bring Conor with him as such he’d had to be properly attired for the event.

Master Quinn shot him a furious glare at his fidgeting, so Conor forced himself to still and listen to the Royal Bard tell the Tale of Ascendency.

Conor wasn’t suited for these kinds of things. He’d never had an eye for nobility or being any part of the royal court. There was way too much ass kissing and rules to follow. And that was before he was Bitten and he became just a little more feral in nature. He’d take the wilds with a bow and quiver any day even if the ceremony was supposed to be impressive and extremely important.

“If you squirm one more time I shall whip you within an inch of your life, boy,” Master Quinn snarled out of the corner of his mouth, careful not to raise his voice loud enough to be heard of the Bard’s tale.

It was an empty threat at best. The whipping would hurt, but short of using a whip made of silver it wouldn’t have any lasting effects. It was a fact Conor knew from experience already.

“...and now at the close of my tale three worthy Squires of the Kingdom of Almar shall follow in the footsteps of their bloodline and Ascend to Knighthood to further serve our Exalted Kings.”

The Bard stepped down from the pedestal he had been on for his performance and the horn section blared to life again as the Royal Officiant stepped up in his place. He raised his hands and the horns stopped, a profound silence filling the Hall. Conor zoned out before the man even started to speak.

Conor was brought abruptly out of his thoughts by the sudden stench of some foul and rotting. He struggled not to gag, the senses of the wolf stronger than most races of the realm. Yet this was not the normal foulness of things such as the unbathed or wolfsbane. This was a smell of death and decay that had become all too frighteningly familiar back in his homeland. It was the smell of Shadow and the Corruption it brought.

And it was close.

He looked around frantically for the source. Shadow could not be allowed within any distance of the Exalted Kings. That it had even made its way into the Almar was cause for alarm. The festering wound of Corruption it brought could not be allowed to infect his new home.

There!

Oh.

Oh no.

It was one of the Knights-to-be. The shortest of the three bearing the banner of the House of Kunitz. Corruption simply rolled of him with a stench so bad Conor could almost taste it.

Conor could see the Corrupted One’s play. Each of the Knights-to-be had a ceremonial sword sheathed at their hips meant to be drawn with the tip of the blade against the floor. The swords were for show, but would still be sharp enough to slice flesh; like the throat of one, or both, Exalted King. Whether the assassin got one or both it would still throw the Almar into chaos, weakening it from the inside.

And the poor soul the Shadow had Corrupted would be put to death despite being a prisoner in his own body.

None of the King’s Guard would ever be able to react in time, not with the enhanced speed and strength the Shadow leant to those Corrupted. Not even Sir Letang, Captain of the King’s Guard, renown for his prowess as a formidable warrior and a Born werewolf would be able to react fast enough. Nor could he smell the Corruption as Conor could; it was the gift amongst the curse of being Bitten.

The Exalted Kings were already in front of the Corrupted Knight-to-be. There was no time to think of a plan, action was the only course.

Conor crouched for a moment and then used all the strength he possessed to pounce over the first three rows of nobles to land between Exalted King Sidney Crosby and the Corrupted Knight-to-be. With one hand he shoved the Exalted King back. The Corrupted One was already in motion even as Conor grabbed for his sword arm; he wasn’t prepared for the Corrupted One to pull a dagger from his surcoat. The very second Conor’s skin touched that of the Corrupted One, the truth was revealed as the Shadow manifested as a dark aura around the man’s body; in the same instant the Corrupted Knight-to-be drove the dagger up under Conor’s ribs.

The pain was excruciating, but he could tell the blade wasn’t made of silver so he’d live. It was still awful, especially when the Corrupted One cruelly twisted the dagger.

“A Cleansed wolf, how cute,” the Corrupted One said, voice dripping with malice and cruelty. It used the blade in Conor’s chest to hold him up while pulling him closer with a hand on his shoulder. “You’re marked now, little wolf. I will make you suffer for this insolence.”

“Shadow!” A voice bellowed.

“We will see each other again,” the Corrupted One promised.

Then with an unearthly howl the Shadow poured from the Corrupted One’s body in a black cloud of hate and darkness. It lifted into the air and seemed to dissipate like smoke in the wind.

Conor barely noticed any of that as he slipped to the ground, the dagger still twisted in under his ribs. An icy agony started to spread from where the blade punctured his skin. He choked on a ragged, wet cough and closed his eyes, the shout for the healers echoing in his mind.

The next time Conor opened his eyes felt like mere seconds had passed, but he could tell immediately that it wasn’t so. He was no longer in the Hall of Ascendance and the pain was gone. Instead his head felt clear and he could draw in a breath full of the scent of herbs and potions.

He was in a House of Healing. It was an all too familiar with his line of work.

“Ah, you’re finally awake.”

Conor turned his head at the sound of the unfamiliar voice and found a man he didn’t recognize filling up a mug with liquid from a pitcher. It could have been water, but there was never any knowing in a House of Healing. He still took the offered mug and drank from it; whatever it was wasn’t water, but it was warm and tasted faintly of honey.

“You are very lucky that you’re a werewolf,” the man went on. He had an accent Conor didn’t quite recognize and warm eyes. “The wound itself was bad enough, but the blade had been dipped in poison.”

“So that was the icy feeling,” Conor mused and sipped at the drink again. It really was quite a lovely drink.

“Yes, and it was a very potent poison as well, one that surely would have killed Exalted King Sidney with as little as a scratch,” the man said. “Speaking of, I must report your wakening to the Exalted Ones. They've been very eager to speak to you.”

“Oh,” Conor said, eyes going wide. “Surely the Exalted Ones have better things to do than waste time on me.”

The man gave him an incredulous look. “You stopped an assassination attempt and freed one of the Knights of the Realm from Shadow.”

“I did what any loyal servant would do.”

“Finish that drink. When you’re ready, you’ve been provided new clothes. Dress yourself and prepare to be fetched,” the healer said and then left the room.

Conor did as he was told, because you never defied a healer, ever. He was just finishing clasping the new, exquisite cloak in place when there was a knock on the heavy wooden door. He felt even more awkward in this new clothing that was even finer quality than what Master Quinn had provided him. It was befitting a noble, not someone with a social status just above that of a slave.

There was nothing to be done for it. The Exalted Kings demanded his presence and he couldn’t disobey.

He strode over to the door and opened it just as the man on the other side was about to knock again. Instead the man startled back and Conor was surprised find himself face to face with the Knight-to-be he had saved from Shadow and Corruption. And now that he didn’t smell of death and his features weren’t twisted with wickedness, Conor noted just how handsome the man was.

“Good morning,” the man said, inclining his head in greeting. “I hope you don’t mind, I requested to be the one to accompany you to the Throne Hall.”

“It would be an honor, Sir Knight,” Conor said, dipping his head even lower, respectful of other man’s rank.

“Please, that formality has it’s time and place, but I was hoping you would call me Rusty as my friends do.”

Conor’s eyes widened in shock. “If it pleases you, my lord.”

The other man, Rusty as he wished to be called, sighed but turned and led the way through the House of Healing and out into the bright sunshine. It was almost too much, but then his vision cleared and Conor realized that he had not just been in any House of Healing, but rather the Royal House of Healing, one meant only for nobles.

“I wanted to thank you,” Rusty said as he led the way. Conor made sure to stay a step behind as was appropriate when following a better.

“It was my duty as--.”

“Are you a Guardsmen?”

“My lord?”

“Are you a Guardsmen? Or of the King’s Guard?”

“I-no my lord.”

“Then it’s beyond your duty to throw yourself in danger for our Exalted Kings,” Rusty said firmly. “You acted beyond your station and saved not only Exalted King Sidney, but my own life as well.”

Conor frowned down at the carved stone path they were walking on. “I witnessed a lot of suffering when the Shadow began its campaign of Corruption in my homeland. Many were put to death for acts beyond their control. I didn’t want that to be your fate.”

“And that’s why I’m thanking you,” Rusty said. He stopped, which forced Conor to do the same, and took a deep breath. “The Shadow whispered to me constantly, the things it wanted to do to my lieges, but worse, to my friends and family. Please, just accept my thanks for saving me from a fate worse than death.”

Conor looked up then at the knight he had saved and saw the deep, honest gratitude in the other man’s eyes. He remembered the nightmare he’d had after being bitten as the Shadow had shown him the things he was going to do once Corrupted. Conor got lucky in that he’d been mauled along a popular hunting trail and been found before the Corruption had taken hold. A mage had been able to Cleanse him quickly enough.

He’d been brimming with such gratitude then that he’d nearly been shaking with it. Being a werewolf he could live with, but being Corrupted...it was like Rusty said-a fate worse than death.

“You’re welcome,” Conor said finally.

Rusty smiled then and oh, he was even more handsome then. Conor desperately tried to calm his racing heart as they continued their walk. He was glad then that Rusty was human and couldn’t hear it.

The path lead them through a beautiful garden area filled with bright flowers and precisely trimmed hedges. Conor had always loved nature even before he’d become more of a part of it. His mother had lavished a great amount of love on the gardens of their home.

“It is unusual, though, isn’t it, for a Corrupted One to be freed simply by the touch of another,” Rusty said after a moment of silence. “Flower says it’s all but unheard of, though he suspects he knows why.”

“Flower?”

“Oh right, you would know him as High Mage Fleury.”

It boggled Conor’s mind that the most powerful mage in Almar went by a name such as Flower. There were legends about what High Mage Fleury could do. He didn’t have the title for no reason.

“This garden is his, mostly. It’s beautiful but also practical. It’s my understanding he grows a lot of ingredients for potions for himself and the healers,” Rusty explained, motioning around them. “He comes and talks to them, touches them. Says that doing so increases their potency.”

“He’s probably right. My mother used to tend to her gardens in such a way,” Conor said.

Rusty turned a curious eye to him. “I didn’t realize commoners had gardens.”

Conor pressed his lips together and didn’t reply. Instead he looked around and noted that the hedges around them were getting taller like steps going up until they blocked the view around them. They approached a grand archway with an ornate wooden door that looked to have been lovingly carved some centuries ago.

And then Rusty walked right through it and Conor stopped in shock. The last place he had been that used illusion magic had been a foul, twisted dungeon that had tried to lure him to his death at every turn as he hunted the abomination that called it home. To see such beautifully crafted illusion magic was like a revelation.

“It won’t hurt you, just step through,” Rusty said from the other side, amusement tinging his voice.

Conor stepped through the illusion and froze yet again, breath caught in his chest. 

The magnificence of the Inner Court was beyond description. In the middle of the court was an extravagant fountain with gods and goddesses chiseled from the finest marble, acting out some story of old. There were statues of past kings and queens as well as knights renown for their deeds. It was glory beyond anything Conor had ever laid his eyes on.

“There’ll be time for admiring everything later. The Exalted Kings are expecting you and we’d best not keep them waiting any longer,” Rusty said.

“Yes, of course. Apologies, my lord,” Conor said and followed after Rusty. He noted with interest that Rusty frowned every time Conor called him “my lord” and couldn’t understand why. He’d never met a noble who balked at it. 

They walked around the massive fountain and its crystal clear water and towards the entrance of the biggest building. As they approached, the two Guardsmen standing on either side of the door thumped their fists to their chests and bowed their heads.

“They do that for you, you know,” Rusty said as they walked through the door.

Conor looked at the two Guardsmen in surprise. “But why?”

“We’ve already gone over that, haven’t we?” Rusty said back.

Conor didn’t get a chance to say anything else in return as they walked through a grand anteroom that was decorated with even more statues and monuments to past heroes and into the throne room. It was as extravagant as everything else he had seen, the black and gold banners marked with the penguin herald of the Exalted Kings hung from the walls and rafters and there was a rich, vibrant red carpet path up to the dual thrones where the Exalted Kings sat watching.

Rusty didn’t hesitate to walk forward and Conor followed after him even though he felt a little like running away. He felt eyes from every corner of the room on him, assessing him. He felt so out of place it was staggering.

The carpet stopped at the foot of a small flight of stairs and Rusty stopped and took a knee. Conor followed suit and bowed his head in respect. He heard movements, the sound of someone walking down the steps, and then silence.

“Stand, Conor,” an authoritative voice said from in front of him.

Conor stood as ordered, but kept his head down. 

“Is there a reason you won’t look at your king?”

“I’m not worthy.”

“I shall be the decider of what you are and aren’t worthy of, Shadow’s Bane.”

Conor looked up then into the kind eyes of Exalted King Sidney. The last time Conor had been so close to the king he’d laid hands on his liege. Granted it was to save his life, but it was still an offense punishable by death.

“I have many questions for you, Conor Sheary, but first it’s with my most profound gratitude that I thank you. Your swift, courageous actions saved many lives, my own included,” Exalted King Sidney said. “Had you faltered even for a moment, or taken the time to try to warn us then at least two people in this room wouldn’t be here right now.”

The Exalted King paused then, but Conor wasn’t sure if he was expected to say anything or if it was even appropriate to do so. Silence was the best course of action.

“Tell me though, how did you know the Shadow had Corrupted Sir Rust?” the king asked.

“I could smell it, Exalted One.”

“And how is it that Sir Letang, also a werewolf, didn’t smell it?”

“Only those touched by Shadow can recognize it, Exalted One.”

“You were touched by Shadow and not Corrupted?”

Conor nodded, still very much aware that there were many eyes on him. Not all of them felt friendly. “Yes, Exalted One. When I was attacked by the Corrupted werewolf that turned me, a Shadow tried to Corrupt me. It would have succeeded had I not been found and Cleansed before it could take root.”

“A truly lucky turn to a horrendous act. It is my understanding that once Corrupted it is impossible to be Cleansed,” Exalted King Sidney said thoughtfully. “That is most curious then as your touch somehow forced the Shadow to leave Sir Rust.”

Conor didn't comment as it wasn't phrased as a question even though it felt like one.

“Perhaps is ploy to get close to us, Corrupt us instead of kill,” Exalted King Evgeni said from where he still sat on his throne. His face was closed off and cold when Conor looked at him in shock. “What you have say?”

Conor’s heart raced suddenly at the thought that this could be twisted against him. “Is there anything I even could say to convince you that’s not true?”

“His heart thunders with fear, Exalted Ones,” Sir Letang spoke up from where he stood close to the throne. His hand had never strayed from the hilt of his sword and his eyes were hard. “Is it fear of being found out or of being wrongfully accused I can’t say.”

“Surely you have something to say on your own behalf,” Exalted King Sidney said.

Conor swallowed hard, mind whirling. “What is there I can say? It is as you said, I have seen first hand how the Corrupted fall forever. I dont know why the Shadow fled or how the Corruption was Cleansed. All I can say is that I smelled the foulness of Corruption on Sir Rust and acted to save your life, Exalted One.”

“If I may, Exalted Ones,” a new voice spoke up. A tall man stepped forward then and Conor could smell the magic on him.

“Ah, Master Fleury, has your research turned up something then?” Exalted King Sidney said like a man that had no doubts that would be so.

“I have indeed, Exalted One,” Master Fleury said. He moved to stand on the step just below the king. “Sir Rust, if you would stand please.”

Conor turned his head to watch Rusty stand, the smell of nervousness and uncertainty tainting his scent. He had the odd urge to try to sooth Rusty.

“How much do either of you know about soulmate magic?” Master Fleury asked.

“It is but a myth,” Rusty said immediately.

Master Fleury turned his attention to Rusty. “Is it?”

“There’s never been any proof.”

“And yet, it is said in times before when Shadow last threatened the world that only soulmates were safe from Corruption because of the magic between them,” Master Fleury said. “A mate’s touch was said to show the Shadow and force it and the Corruption out.”

Conor looked at Rusty in shock to find the knight looking back at him. Could it really be true? 

Rusty had called it a myth, but in Conor’s now non-existent homeland, soulmate magic had been fact. Like everywhere else, there hadn’t been any soulmates in centuries, but his people had known it was real. It hadn’t been taught as myth or legend, but rather fact, and sad fact at that. Without soulmate magic to combat the Shadow and Corruption no one could stop the spreading darkness.

All they could do without soulmate magic was slow it down.

“You believe this, don’t you?” Rusty asked, eyes flickering over Conor’s face. He sounded more curious than disbelieving. He didn’t make Conor feel foolish for it.

Conor nodded. “There was a time in my homeland when soulmates were commonplace and we’d have whole armies of soulmates fighting the Shadow. It was only when the numbers started to decline that Shadow started to win.”

“Your homeland, the Kingdom of Dhar.” Conor snapped his attention back to Exalted King Sidney. “When you came into Almar, you told Guardsman Quinn that you were simply a refugee looking for sponsorship.”

“Yes, Exalted One.”

“But that was not the whole truth, was it?”

“I don’t know what you mean, Exalted One,” Conor said even as his heart started to race again.

Exalted King Sidney cocked an eyebrow at him. “You don’t?”

“Do not lie,” Exalted King Evgeni said as Conor opened his mouth to reply. “You not just some refugee.”

Conor gulped at the threat and warning in Exalted King Evgeni’s voice.

“Why are you so afraid of the truth?” Exalted King Sidney asked. “Tell me who you really are.”

Conor sighed and bowed his head in respect. “I am former Prince Conor of the House of Sheary of the now non-existent Kingdom of Dhar.” He said reluctantly. “Does that please you, Exalted Ones?”

“Prince?” Rusty repeated, surprise in his voice. Conor didn’t dare to take his eye off the Exalted Kings to look at him though. “Why have you hidden this?”

“What good is a title for a kingdom that will never exist again?” Conor replied. “Besides, all the royalty non-sense was never for me. I’ve been happy to just be a hunter.”

“Well, you will have to deal with some bit of that royalty non-sense now,” Exalted King Sidney said, his eyes twinkling with something that was probably amusement. “For your bravery and to honor the title you once held, and should still rightfully hold--kingdom or no--I am hereby bestowing upon you the title and duties of Lord of the Hunt. You will continue to hunt as you have before, but you will have Sir Rust at your side and command all the hunters that serve us.”

Part of Conor wanted to say no thank you and run away, but then he looked at Rusty and his heart fluttered a little. He thought about getting to work with Rusty and learn everything he possibly could about this man who was somehow his soulmate. In a world where no one had found their soulmate in centuries, he had somehow found his.

“It would be an honor, Exalted One,” Conor said when he realized that everyone was waiting for him to say something.

“Glad to hear it. The both of you will also work closely with Master Fleury as I’m sure he’s very eager to learn more about soulmate magic first hand,” Exalted King Sidney said, drawing Conor’s attention back to him. 

Master Fleury cackled and rubbed his hands together. Conor balked and took a half step back.

“Flower, you scare away new Lord before he do any work,” Exalted King Evgeni said in exasperation.

“Don’t worry too much about Flower, he won’t do anything to hurt you...mostly,” Exalted King Sidney said casually as if he and Conor were just friends have a conversation. “Now that official business is over with, Rusty is going to give you a tour and show you to your new room. We’ll see you again at dinner.”

“Exalted One, if I may ask a question?” Conor said before the taller man could return to his throne.

“Please, as a Lord we’ll be seeing too much of each other for you to always call me that. When we’re not conducting official business or in front of commoners or foreign dignities just call me Sidney.” Conor looked at him with such wide-eyed horror at the thought that Sidney laughed. “Please, ask your question.”

“Earlier, you called me Shadow’s Bane. Why?”

“Your courage earned the title. Now you’re Conor of the House Sheary, Lord of the Hunt and Shadow’s Bane,” Sidney said. There were still a spark of mirth in his eyes. “Be grateful yours is so short. It takes the Herald an eternity to read all of Geno’s titles.”

“Like you have room to speak,” Exalted King Evgeni said with what was probably mock outrage, but Conor still didn’t know how to read the man. He fixed Conor with a look that he couldn’t quite read. “You dismissed now. Go.”

Conor followed Rusty out of the room and back to the courtyard. His head was spinning. So much had happened so fast and he couldn’t even process it. He’d been interrogated, had his royal heritage dragged into the light, and been made a Lord of the Exalted King’s court.

“Perhaps you should sit down before we take a tour,” Rusty said, casting a worried look at Conor. “You look a little like a stiff wind would knock you down.”

“It probably would,” Conor admitted.

Rusty led him over to a stone bench beside the fountain and took a seat. “They did just throw a lot at you.”

“You too,” Conor said as he took a seat as well. “You just found out you have a soulmate.”

“True,” Rusty said, eyes on the fountain, though his lips turned upward. “Though has far as soulmates go I could probably do worse than the Lord of the Hunt.”

“I can’t believe I’m going to have to answer to that,” Conor said with a laugh.

“At least you can stop calling me ‘my lord’ all over the place.”

“If it pleases you, my lord,” Conor said with a mischievous grin.

He was pleasantly surprised when Rusty returned it and gods above was he gorgeous. “I didn’t think we’d get to what pleases me so quickly. Lunch first at least.”

Conor couldn’t help the guffaw of a laugh that burst out of him. “Oh, you are a troublemaker, aren’t you?”

“I believe in having a good time,” Rusty said with a shrug.

“Good, so do I. Now, how about that tour?”

**Author's Note:**

> A little tidbit that didn't make it into the story is that Conor was in a coma for a week and Rusty went on his first quest as a knight to find the antidote for the poison.
> 
> come say [hi on tumblr](https://hockeyshippinfool.tumblr.com)


End file.
